PLANS to store hundreds of thousands of tons of gas in underground salt cavities at Byley have been approved.

But council bosses say the decision does not give ScottishPower the right to go ahead with its scheme for an underground gas storage facility and processing plant.

The decision, taken by Cheshire County Council's development regulatory committee, means that ScottishPower could, in theory, store gas underground ­ but without planning permission to build its processing plant and associated works above, the decision is useless.

A county council spokesman said: 'ScottishPower have applied for hazardous substances consent to store natural gas in underground cavities at land adjacent to Drakelow Lane, Byley and the former Cranage Airfield.

'This application initially accompanied the planning application for solution mining and use of nine underground cavities for the storing of natural gas, laying of gas pipelines and construction of a gas processing plant, which was refused.

'Planning officer Alan Thornley made it clear to councillors that the hazardous waste application had no bearing on any possible public inquiry held into the refusal of planning permission for the gas facility.

'It was a very technical application and councillors had no grounds to oppose it.'

The original application was rejected at County Hall to cheers from protest group RAP ­ Residents Against the Plant ­ in October.

RAP chairman John Edwards said: 'I wonder why ScottishPower bothered -­ it will do them no good if they can't have all the associated buildings to go with it.

'I expect they are just keeping their options open.'

A ScottishPower spokesman said: 'ScottishPower has not yet reached a decision on an appeal and is considering other options.'